Police helicopter footage and smartphone camera images obtained by KTLA News show the harrowing tirade of a "maniac" gunman who was shot by police after a pursuit in California.
The driver received several gunshot wounds after crashing a hijacked vehicle and failing to obtain another on the busy road. He is now in a stable condition in hospital.
Having forced a 22-year-old woman from her car at gunpoint, the man careened down the freeway and collided with at least six vehicles, police officers said.
"He just came up to me and pointed the gun at me and told me to get out of my car. I was just scared he was going to hurt me," victim Elizabeth Yarahuan said.
The chase began at 5pm local time on Monday, when police attempted to pull the man over for driving a stolen car.
Within half an hour, the unidentified criminal had crashed the car and proceeded to steal Yarahuan's at gunpoint.
"This individual acted with a complete disregard for other people's lives," Los Angeles Police Department Commander Andy Smith told the LA Times.
"He callously put innocent people's lives in danger, even after the police backed off the pursuit and tracked with the helicopter. Thank God no one was killed by this maniac."
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